Beach
by Ocean Starfly
Summary: Yusei, Jack, Aki, Mikage, Rua, and Ruka get a vacation to Goodwin's private beach. Slight Yusei/Aki


The sun shone brightly down; the sky was an impossible blue, with no clouds obstructing the ever-reaching expanse. It was a beautiful summer day.

This is why the signers and their friends were taking a break to enjoy some time at the beach.

"Cannonbaaaaaall!!" Rua yelled, jumping off a small outcropping into the clear blue waters of the ocean. Nearby, Ruka and Yusei held up arms to shield themselves from the surprisingly large spray the small boy made.

Rua burst out of the waves, gasping for breath. Catching site of his twin sister and Yusei, he grinned and for no apparent reason they all laughed.

Up on the beach, Jack and Aki lay on towels a few feet apart, sunning underneath the hot sun, preferring not to enter the water with the others. Sunglasses covered their eyes and sunscreen their bodies so they wouldn't fry up in the heat.

A call sounded from farther up the beach and Jack looked over as Mikage walked over holding popsicles for everyone. Yusei and the twins, who had just started a splashing war, looked over as she neared and Rua let out a whoop, running out of the water.

Jack stopped the boy just in time to keep him from barreling the blue-haired woman over as Yusei and Ruka also stepped out of the waves.

Mikage passed the popsicles around and everyone sat on the sand to enjoy them.

"It's so nice here on the beach," Ruka said absently, sucking on a raspberry Popsicle. "It was kind of Director Goodwin to let us come to this private beach." The others agreed.

Rua finished his lemon Popsicle quickly, and the boy was then back in the water, yelling for the others to hurry up. Ruka eventually got up and joined him, as did Jack, deciding that if he had come all the way here, he might as well swim a little.

"Are you coming, Yusei?" Ruka called back.

"Un, just a second," the teen yelled back, standing up. He glanced at Aki, who had yet to enter the water in the entire day.

"Why don't you join us, Aki?" he offered, making the rose-haired girl look up.

"I'm fine here," she said flatly.

"You haven't been in the water at all. Don't you want to go in the ocean, just once?" he asked persuasively.

Aki scrutinized first Yusei and then the ocean, contemplating on whether to take up the offer. Eventually she smiled, and took the hand that the raven-haired boy was holding out to her.

"Just for a little while," she warned, allowing him to lead her to the water.

Mikage followed them, meaning that everyone was in the water.

Rua challenged Jack to a race, and after some well-said provocations, the blonde complied, his pride not letting him refuse. Of course, having much longer limbs, the older boy quickly overtook the younger.

Meanwhile, the others swam lazily, enjoying the moment of peace while the wild ones were occupied.

Swimming around the outcropping Rua had jumped off earlier, the group entered a small bay with a huge rock in the middle, rising around five feet above the waves.

Judging by the area between the cliff and the rock-island, it seemed to have broken away some time ago, perhaps in a large storm.

A sudden squawking and screeching made the three girls and one boy look up. A bird was flapping its wings and struggling in the air to fly, but something seemed to have a hold on one of its legs.

"Oh, the poor thing," Mikage murmured.

"Is there any way we can save it?" the youngest girl asked, her tender heart breaking for the grounded flyer.

Without a word, Yusei strode forward in the water and began climbing the rock. It only took him a minute to reach the top and pull himself over the edge.

Then he was next to the bird, which was still frantically trying to free itself. Yusei grabbed the bird gently and examined the captured leg. Tangled fishing wire had somehow gotten wrapped around it, so Yusei set to work loosening the strong white string.

Mikage, Aki, and Ruka were still at the base of the rock-island, watching the male teenager work. Mikage and Ruka were watching his hands and the bird, but the only red-haired girl's eyes had wandered up to Yusei's face. The sun was low in the sky, casting a golden light on the raven-haired teen. Only his eyes remained deep blue.

While Yusei was working, Jack and Rua returned.

"- probably swim all the time in your own pool," the teal-haired boy was saying.

"Do you think I had time for such a frivolous activity while I was king? You're lucky I even raced you," Jack replied arrogantly.

"Oh, hey! Ruka, Mikage-san, Onee-chan!" Rua called to the three girls.

"Where's Yusei?" Jack asked as the two boys stopped just before the girls.

"Up there," Mikage responded, pointing up at the boy on top of the rock-island.

Just then, Yusei freed the bird and it took off into the air. Ruka let out a small, joyful cry, while Rua uttered a cry of admiration.

"I wanna go up there," Rua exclaimed, quickly grabbing a hold and starting his clamber up the rock. A sigh escaped his sister, but after rolling her shoulder in a shrug, she followed him. Aki went just behind her, while Jack and Mikage watched.

When Rua reached the top he turned to give his sister a hand while Yusei did the same for Aki.

"Uwah! Sugoi~!" Rua yelled, looking out over the ocean. Ruka agreed as her brother ran forward to stand on the edge of the rock-island. He stared into the sun and let out a yell, just for the sheer feeling.

Ruka smiled and laughed at her twin as Yusei called, "Be careful so close to the edge, Rua!" But he was smiling too. Even Aki's lips curved upward as she looked out. It truly was an amazing view.

Yusei sat down on the grass. It was incredibly soft and lush, perhaps from the sea-water? The teenager laid back closing his eyes and breathing deeply. Aki glanced down at him as she lowered herself to sit beside him, choosing to remain upright.

Rua and Ruka explored the island for a while, crawling under bushes and into the small trees, with Rua in the lead of course. The sun sank quickly until it was almost below the waves.

"Oi!" a voice called from below. Rua peaked over the edge, recognizing Jack's commanding voice.

"It's getting dark, we should head back," Mikage called up to him. Rua called back a reluctant agreement, and turned to fetch Yusei and Aki.

"We're heading back- eh?" Rua paused. Yusei was still lying on the grass.

"He's asleep," Aki informed him. "I'll stay with him, you and Ruka go ahead. Let the others know, we'll catch up later."

So the twins climbed back down and headed back to the beach house Director Goodwin had lent them with Jack and Mikage, leaving the two teens behind.

The sun had sunk out of sight and the moon was already rising in the sky before Yusei awoke. Cat-like amber eyes had turned to him as he shifted slightly in his sleep before blinking his eyes open. He stared at the stars for a moment before sitting up.

"How long was I asleep?" Yusei asked, spotting Aki. He raised a hand to rub one eye gently, still blinking but almost awake.

"Quite a while. The others returned to the beach house a little before the sun set," Aki replied calmly. She hadn't minded the wait. It was warm while the sun was out, but had chilled slightly with the darkness of night. But the stars made it worthwhile. Both duelists returned their gazes to the tiny pinpricks of light above them again, like flecks of white paint on a midnight canvas.

After a few minutes, Yusei lowered his gaze. "We should head back soon, before the others get worried," he said. A hint of reluctance crossed his mind, appearing as a mere flicker in his blue eyes before he brushed it away. Aki nodded, her own reluctance kept to her mind before she, too, brushed it away.

The stood, but as they started for the edge, Aki tripped. Yusei lunged forward, wrapping his arms around her as they crashed to the ground about 2 feet below, thanks to a split in the rock.

"Daijobuka, Aki?" Yusei looked down at the girl in his arms. She looked back at him before practically jumping to her hands, one on either side of Yusei's head to support her. Both teens were suddenly grateful for the darkness as they felt their cheeks heat up. Even calm and collected Yusei and the cold, rose duelist could blush.

Neither of them knowing why, they remained frozen there, Yusei on the ground and Aki on top of him. The only thing they could clearly see of each other was their eyes. Aki stared at Yusei's deep blue eyes; they were beautiful, full of loyalty, kindness and a touch of mystery, of something hidden. Yusei stared right back into Aki's beautiful amber eyes, seeing the new-found calm she had discovered when she met Yusei and left the Arcadia Movement, as well as care for her friends, and a similar touch of mystery that she was seeing in his own eyes.

A crack sounded from somewhere, like a rock breaking away from the cliff. Both teens jerked and Aki immediately rolled off of the boy as they came to their senses. They stood once again, silently. Aki didn't wish to speak of what had just happened, and, sensing that, Yusei had enough sense not to say anything either.

They didn't speak as they climbed down from the rock-island and returned to the beach house.

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Eh, bad ending. I wrote this a while ago, and kept changing it. I found it when I started working on another fic (which I will hopefully put up soon). Please review, tell me what you think!!!


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